“Listening is a magnetic and strange thing, a creative force.”
Think about the great listeners in your life and what makes them so strong at this often-overlooked skill. There is a distinct difference between listening versus hearing. When someone is telling you a story, are you listening? Or are you hearing? Are you absorbing what they have to say? Or waiting for your chance to respond?
To be successful in all walks of life, become a strong communicator and listener. Exceptional communication and listening skills are qualities that are in good leaders across the board.
If you want to make your presence felt, gone are the days of being a fly on the wall. To practice bettering your verbal communication and confidence, give yourself that extra push to raise your hand and share what you have to say during online/offline meetings. It might feel onerous at first, but it will pay off in the long run.
If you want to challenge yourself to become a better listener, form the habit of listening more intently in your everyday life.
In each conversation you have going forward, make an effort to listen not just to respond but absorb what the other person says. Take an extra couple of seconds to respond, process, and ask meaningful questions.
This habit will help you become someone that other people feel that they can trust deeply, which of course, is an essential quality of a great leader, and let others be in your august company.
“Spend at least 20 minutes daily with your parents/children: speak for five minutes and listen for 15 minutes. See what happens!”
By, Ms. Shiza Khan, Primary Academic Coordinator EITPL
Snakes - The Misunderstood Creatures
This month at Ekya ITPL, we had an extremely informative and interesting expert talk about snakes with Mr. Yatin. It started off with simple stories and bits related to the wonderful reptile. We then moved on to the basic questions including why snakes exist in the ecosystem and their importance in the same. I, for one, am very scared of snakes, so when Mr. Yatin told us that they are more scared of us than we are of them, it came as a huge relief. Hereafter, we discussed the animal’s reaction to us. Elaborating on their beautiful form, we got Information on their: body-color, characteristics, common occurrences, diet, and more.
He then informed us about the big 4. These are the venomous snakes and the most important snakes in India, which are: speculated cobra, russell viper, common krait, scaled viper. Then the kids enjoyed a fun game of spotting the russell viper! Moving back to the more Informational side, he spoke about the more harmless snakes, Indian rat snakes (most common), a checkered keelback water snake, striped keelback snake, wolf snake, kukri snake, vine snake, brahminy worm snake, cat snake, Indian rock python and finally the trinket snake which are the most beautiful in Bangalore according to Mr.Yatin.
He then pointed out the differences between venomous and non-venomous snake bites, modes of snake which include chill, defense, escape, and offense. Moving along the topic of venom he informed us about some mistaken identities, where a non-venomous snake mimics a venomous snake, and how to identify species of snake and know if the snake is venomous or not. A common mimic used in the United States for snakes is: if red touches yellow, dangerous fellow if red touches black venom lacks. We were then presented with information about snake bites, the difference between venomous and poisonous and types of venoms, feeding strategies, snakebite prevention, and snake bite care, you could see the amazement on participants' faces.
Lastly, we had a fun little quiz (which snake is most dangerous and what is the snake) with a tremendous amount of participation. It was followed by a round of quick questions and answer with a very curious crowd. Everything was explained so systematically, I personally loved everything about the session especially the venom part of the session and quiz. It was truly a fun experience learning about the slithery serpents.
By, Dwiti Dhotrekar, Grade 11
To be honest, I joined Ekya School, Byrathi with a lot of apprehension for the IGCSE program because of leaving my old friends, and here the class size was small so I wasn’t sure if I would be able to make new friends, etc. However, to my surprise, I’m having a lot of fun in this school right now. I enjoy all the classes and the virtual company of my friends. I couldn't have asked for more
It's been nearly six weeks since I started my journey in Ekya but it feels like it has only been a few days. We have the best teachers in our school. All the teachers are well trained and friendly. They guide us in the best possible way. They teach a topic and then give actual life examples or do activities to implement it in practical life scenarios. They are available all the time and guide us through one on one interactions even after school hours. Usually, Principals are strict; however, our School Principal is very friendly and caring. She keeps visiting our classes frequently to ensure we’re doing good. She also gives us college and career guidance.
Our school uses an excellent learning platform called Schoology. This resource consists of many features: an online library, discussion forums, easy access for the parents, daily school announcements, updates, and many more. It is also very easy to use. Even though I did not make many friends, I was able to make five friends. They help me with school work like home assignments, notes, and more. In only a few days, I got comfortable around them because of their kindness and friendliness.
This school offers IGCSE and ICSE board curriculum. I'm in 9th Grade and I opted for the IGCSE curriculum. Frankly, it's by far the most interesting and challenging curriculum. It has elaborate explanations for every topic, which makes it a very effective way of learning. This curriculum focuses on skill development which should help with getting placed in good colleges and helps us create a bright and better future for ourselves. Despite the pandemic and lockdowns, Ekya has offered us many co-curricular activities, and it hasn't even been half a year. There are clubs, competitions, poetry/story writing, and much more. I've tried participating in as many as I could, and I am having a lot of fun.
I have enjoyed every bit of time I spent with this school so far and I'm sure that I'll continue to do so.
By, Neha Suresh, Grade 9 IGCSE, Ekya School, Byrathi
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